Night at the Museum is one of those movies that entertains adults and children alike by bringing to life characters that have been dead for a long time, or animating replicas of famous people and events in our world’s history. If you’re wondering how many Night at the Museum movies there are in the franchise, check out our ultimate streaming guide to add each movie to your watch list.
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How Many Night at the Museum Movies Are There?
There are currently four movies in the Night at the Museum franchise. Check out their titles and release dates below:
- Night at the Museum (2006)
- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
- Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
- Night at the Museum: Kamunrah Rises Again (2022)
Fun fact: The fourth and most recent Night at the Museum film is completely animated whereas the first three were live-action.
What Order Should You Watch the Night at the Museum Movies In?
Since the Night at the Museum franchise released four movies over 16 years, you might be wondering if starting from the beginning is the right way to watch for the first time. The answer is yes, you should watch these movies in chronological order by release date, which we provided below.
- Night at the Museum (2006)
- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
- Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
- Night at the Museum: Kamunrah Rises Again (2022)
What Is Each Night at the Museum Movie About?
Given how many Night at the Museum movies there are, check out what each movie is about below. If you’ve never seen them, this is a helpful overview before you start streaming.
1. Night at the Museum
In desperate need of a job, dreamer Larry Daley must put aside his aspirations for something great and instead work as a security guard at the Natural History Museum. During his nighttime watch, Larry makes an incredible discovery; Due to an Egyptian curse that was released in the museum, the animals and figurines in the various exhibits come to life. Larry must find a way to fix the situation, with some help from some famous people in history, of course.
- IMDb score – 6.5
2. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Once a night guard, Larry Daley is now a successful purveyor of infomercial products. As he continues with his new job, he learns that his museum friends have been shipped to the Smithsonian Institution and not long afterward, he receives a distress call from Jedediah. Four of history’s greatest villains have come to life and are planning to take over the museum, and then the world, and Jedediah needs Larry’s help to stop the quartet’s nefarious plans.
- IMDb score – 6.0
3. Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb
Things take a turn in the third installment of the Night at the Museum franchise. When the exhibits at the Natural History Museum start acting strangely, Larry, who is now the director of nighttime operations, must figure out what’s going on. The Tablet, which gives the exhibits life, has started to decay. Larry, along with his son and museum friends, must travel to London’s British Museum to figure out how to prevent the Tablet’s magic from disappearing forever.
- IMDb score – 6.2
4. Night at the Museum: Kamunrah Rises Again
In an animated film, we get to see Larry’s son in action in the museum, ushering in a new era of Night at the Museum movies. In the film, Nick Daley is following in his father’s footsteps as the night watchman at the American Museum of Natural History, knowing exactly what happens when the sun goes down. But when Kahmunrah escapes, all is up to Nick to save the museum once and for all.
- IMDb score – 5.0
Did You Know There Are Night at the Museum Books?
Whether you’re new to the franchise or not, you may not have known that there are actually four Night at the Museum books. Interestingly, only one of these books, The Night at the Museum, was published before the movies and inspired the creation of the franchise. This first book is a children’s picture book by Croatian illustrator Milan Trenc. After the movies were produced, three books were published based on the movies, which we’ve listed below:
- Night at the Museum: The Junior Novelization by Leslie Goldman
- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: The Junior Novelization by Michael Anthony Steele
- Secret of the Tomb: Night at the Museum: Nick’s Tales by Michael Anthony Steele
Are There Any Night at the Museum Movies in Production?
There are currently no confirmed movies in production in the Night at the Museum franchise. However, writer and actor, Thomas Lennon, has suggested his interest in doing future movies in the franchise specifically through animation. We will have to wait and see if our journey in the museum continues.
Where Can You Stream the Movies Out Now?
You can stream the first, third, and fourth movies through Disney Plus with a subscription. You can get the basic plan with ads for $7.99 per month, or try out the ad-free Premium subscription for $13.99 per month.
You can stream the second movie on Hulu with a subscription. A Hulu subscription with ads costs $7.99 per month and gives access to the ad-supported streaming library. You can also get the no-ads subscription for $17.99 per month.
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The Night at the Museum franchise is a classic for adults and kids. Even though the first film is nearly two decades old, it is as timeless as the displays in the movies. If you enjoy going back to childhood wonder, make sure to watch all four Night at the Museum movies, or show your kids the movie for the first time to continue the cycle.